Visual limitations for drivers and problems of road accidents

During the last two decades, developing countries such as India have been exhibiting rapid increase in human population and vehicles and increase in road accidents. In appropriate driving behaviour is considered to be one of the major causes of road accidents in India as compared to defective geometric design of pavement or mechanical defects in vehicles. Apart from the other factors causing accidents such as poor road design, vehicle conditions, driver characteristics of frequent traffic violations, increase in crashes due to self-centred driving, etc. It can also be resulted in conditions such as lack of psychophysical abilities e.g. poor eye sight, poor vision at night time, glare blindness etc. Hence, improved driver screening facilities accompanied by availability of good driving aids such as anti glare glasses can be an effective and preventive measure to inhibit crash risks.This paper is based on a case study jointly done by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute and Institute of driving and Traffic Research, Maruti, Loni Border, Delhi. India to highlight visual limitations among the learner drivers which can influence (as per the literature review) driving behaviour with crash chances, which can be reduced through improving safety accompanied with better driver screening, providing free visual aids and modifying present licensing procedures.